Over a year ago, I shared our (lack of) family and weekend time struggles quite a bit on this space. Luckily, over the past year, we’ve been slowly gaining, for the first time ever, some proper family time together (you’ve probably noticed!). Unfortunately in the waves of our busy schedules, we sort of lost our ability to ‘just chill’ somewhere along the way. Luckily, I think we’re finally getting that back. (One can dream!) I’m making a real effort to slow the F down— and well, I think I’m doing pretty good, this month anyway 😉  But we’ll see how the next few weeks go before I confirm or deny that I’ve been able to actually to keep up with a slower pace.
Long before Marlowe, when there was only Alex and I (and Jerry), our days between work (for me) and school (for Alex) consisted mostly of sleeping, eating, farms and markets. Almost like now I guess, but with a lot less sleeping and a lot more work 😉 I walked to work, opened shop, closed it down, and returned back for lazy afternoons/evenings. And on the days of no work, I spent my mornings wondering what markets I should actually get up for. I know— a truly awful and difficult life, right? 😉  Laying in bed for an extra few hours or even an extra few moments feels strange now and mostly impossible (especially now that we’ve thrown a puppy in the mix!). In general, we don’t have sundays or any weekends together— and this reality, well, it makes things a bit tricky. It makes the time Alex has off different from our friends or other families. And without friends to distract us during our time off we often end up just busting our butts around here for another day. On the rare occasion that Alex does have a weekend off, well we’re learning how to chill out again. It’ll be decades before we’re back to possible endless hours of sleep or relaxation— but even these few and far between slow days make me remember and look back on the quiet time we once had. I appreciated it, but didn’t at the same time, if that makes any sense. Admittedly, we spent most of our time in bed and the rest of our life revolved around food in some way or another. I’d like to share photos at some point in time of our previous, early together lives— we look *awesome* ha. But for now, you can imagine me with mostly the same clothes I’m in now— and with a giant top knot on my head and giant rayban prescription lens on my face (bangs for part of it too!) with lots of fruit and vegetables in my hand—- and a dog in one arm. So basically, not much has changed, I just lost the glasses and gained an adorable, fruit hungry child. And Alex? Well, he had more of an afro 😉 Flashback friday, anyone? Looks aside (actually looks too) I am so very happy to be where we are now, and while, I don’t necessarily want to go back to those days, I do from time to time miss our easy, sleep filled miami life and hope to find more ways to incorporate that ease into our months and years.
We had a really incredible sunday last week—the first sunday we both had off together with absolutely no set plans and responsibilities in a long time. We headed down to Miami to visit our friends at Little River Cooperative (you can see *some of my favorite* farm photos HERE) and then headed to my friend Claudia’s house— where we day drank in the sun while the girls entertained themselves with tadpoles, art, and dress up. Later that evening we headed off to our friend Steph’s for her daughters birthday party before all of us crashed hard at home. It was a perfectly-not-overwhelmingly packed with fun day. And while sundays together might be a norm for some people— for us, well, were learning how to sunday once again. But if last sunday (and this one too) is any indication of how our future with Marlowe can be (less sleep and all) when we make more time to turn off our overwork mode, then I think we’re going to be okay. I appreciated it before parenthood and I sure as hell appreciate it turning off now.

well worth posting: an alex selfie 😉
The week following that last sunday was perfect— I exceeded my own expectations in keeping up with my “this will be my weekend week!”— so forgive me for my jumbled thoughts and my sentences that make less sense than normal 😉  I’m extra foggy this evening— and I’m happy to blame it on a very good, very slow paced, not over overworked week. 
Happy sunday evening and happy new week, friends. Hope it’s a good one! 

13 Comments

  1. I love your family adventures. Keep posting them because it inspires/encourages me to get my butt off the sofa and go on adventures with my little family!!

  2. Is that glitter in the water? And yeah, I know how you feel on the Sundays! But I feel like if you start off your day doing your to do list, making time to relax the evening is the best feeling ever!

    Every Day In Grace

  3. What a wonderful place, I'm glad you had such a good time. I know exactly what you mean about not appreciating the relaxation years ago. If only we'd known! But it's good to be where we are today, everything moves on and things get better and better. That puppy certainly knows how to relax! Have a good week Drea. CJ xx

  4. The Co-op looks amazing! I just love places like that, I could move right in (build me hut amongst the vege patches). I totally get what you mean about Sundays, or just planing in family days at all. It can be so difficult to juggle, and yet so important when you have little kids. My husband is a freelance photographer/ part time body piercer (he was a full time body piercer for nearly 20 years) and is currently working 6 – 7 days a week. We did make Sundays 'family day' and made sure to go out and do something fun, but now he's getting booked most Sundays too! I know it won't be like that forever but I do find that those family days bring us all so much closer together. Sometimes it's nice to forget the chores, the housework, the gardening and remember what life is really all about! x

    • it comes in waves for sure. Free time and busy time. I'm hoping this is our free time. Yours will come too 🙂

  5. Ah I can relate! No fruit loving babe yet, but I live with my bf who's a chef, and we finally have a sunday off together next week. I'm thrilled because we have opposite schedules–even if we do nothing, its so nice to have the whole day. And I just love your photos. Happy Sunday!

    • I'm wicked nervous for when school starts how little family time we'll have— trying to soak up these rare days until there! Have fun on your sunday!